Carly Fiorina: Next, I'm Running For Office

The LA Times profiles McCain adviser, former HP CEO, and renaissance woman Carly Fiorina, who may be preparing for a new career in public office.

This possibility also surfaced in a New York Times article earlier this year, where Fiorina was referred to as one of McCain’s potential VP candidates. But even though that seems to be off the table, plenty are suggesting Carly should throw her proverbial hat in the political ring.

And she can certainly afford it. Her HP severance package alone would buy a boatload of advertising.

LA Times: A self-described “change warrior,” Carly Fiorina has been a law school dropout, a real estate broker, an English teacher, a telecommunications executive and the first woman to be hired, then fired, as chief executive of a Fortune 20 company.

The former Hewlett-Packard Co. CEO is again forging new territory for herself, this time in the highest ranks of American politics. She has quickly emerged as a high-level advisor to Sen. John McCain’s campaign in the Arizona Republican’s bid for the White House.

Her rise has spurred speculation that Fiorina, famous for breaking glass ceilings, is auditioning for her next act — political office — after the biggest disappointment of her career.

Fiorina, 53, is doing yeoman’s service for the campaign in exchange for the chance to refashion her image as a political contender. She takes part in daily strategy sessions, advises McCain on the economy and acts as his surrogate in battleground states and with women.

Not that she hasn’t had her missteps.

Her poise and freshness have been offset at times by her inexperience and her contentious tenure at HP, during which she cut more than 20,000 jobs and the venerable technology company’s stock fell by nearly half. Democrats say that Fiorina is a ripe target, viewed as an elitist who threw the company into turmoil before walking away with $21 million in severance and other payments.